the subject line trick I use when I'm stuck

The subject line you just opened to read this? I wrote it using one formula.

And honestly? I almost didn't. I sat there for a minute staring at the field thinking "just type something." Me! The person who literally teaches this!

That's the thing nobody tells you about subject lines. It doesn't get automatic. You just get faster at catching yourself before you type "Quick Update" and hit send.

the formula.

I have a formula that helps me when I'm feeling really stuck. I use this for clients too:

[specific thing I did/found/saw] + [for/about] + [who or what]

“what I noticed on 12 local plumbing websites”

“what your freebie is accidentally teaching people about your offer”

“the booking email I’d send after someone says “we’re still deciding”

See the pattern?

Every one is specific and sounds like it came from real proximity to the work.

Every one implies a story.

None could be sent by anyone else in your niche.

The opposite: “5 tips for better email marketing.”

Generic, interchangeable, deletable.

the freebie.

I read 100 subject lines last week.

The top 5% weren’t the most clever or the most dramatic either. They just did a few things way better than the rest.

I broke down exactly what made them work in this week’s Substack post:

→ [I read 100 subject lines this week. Here’s what the top 5% had in common.]

earning the subject line.

A good subject line doesn’t need to be clever. It needs to feel earned.

Like it came from someone who’s actually been in the work, noticed something worth saying, and isn’t about to waste your time with another “3 ways to…” email.

Specificity does more heavy lifting than hype ever will.

Rooting for you (and your subject lines)!

Ashley🫶🏼